page_title: Susanna Montgomery, Countess of Eglinton
section_title: Meeting with Samuel Johnson and James Boswell
hierarchical_section_title: Susanna Montgomery, Countess of Eglinton / Meeting with Samuel Johnson and James Boswell
caption_attribution_description: English: James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck, Scottish lawyer, diarist, and author
context_page_description: Susanna Montgomery, Countess of Eglinton was the third wife of Alexander Montgomerie, 9th Earl of Eglinton. She lived as a widow for nearly 51 years before dying at Auchans, Scotland in 1780, aged 90.
  The surname of the family is often rendered as Montgomerie and she signed herself as S. Eglintoune.
context_section_description: In 1773 James Boswell and Samuel Johnson visited Lady Susanna, now the Dowager Countess, at her home, Auchans, near Dundonald. Her son Alexander already knew Johnson and had passed on much information about him to his mother.
  She knew that Johnson wished to live a long life and became sulky if death was mentioned. She tactfully embraced Johnson upon his departure and commented that as she was old enough to be his mother, she would adopt him as her son; Johnson was delighted. Auchans is now Old Auchans and stands as a substantial ruin in 2009.
  Lady Susanna is also remembered for taming a number of rats at Auchans to come for food at her table when she tapped on the oak wall panel and opened a small door. These ten or twelve rats would leave when instructed to; she commented that she valued the gratitude they showed, something she had rarely received from humans.
  Johnson, in a letter to Mrs Thrale, described Susanna as a lady who for many years gave the laws of elegance to Scotland. She is in full vigour of mind, and not much impaired in form. She is only eighty-three. She was remarking that her marriage was in the year eight; and I told her my birth was in the year nine. 'Then,' says she, 'I am just old enough to be your mother, and I will take you for my son.' She called Boswell the boy. 'Yes, Madam.' said I, 'we will send him to school.' 'He is already,' said she, 'in a good school;' and expressed her hope of his improvement. At last night came, and I was sorry to leave her.
  Johnson also wrote that Her figure is majestic, her manner high bred, her reading extensive and her conversation elegant. She has been the admiration of the gay circles of life.
caption: James Boswell of Auchinleck.
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